


Red Jay

by Abbyromana



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman and Robin (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days, Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brothers, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Gen, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Possible Character Death, Pre-New 52
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 19:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17310293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abbyromana/pseuds/Abbyromana
Summary: After waking up injured, Jason slowly comes to realize life as he knows it has changed, possibly forever, for him and the rest of the batfamily. He doesn’t know whether he can handle the new responsibilities or whether anyone is going to trust him enough to let him try.





	1. So This Is How It Is...

Jason awoke when he felt cold air skim over his face and arms. It wasn’t like the bitter breath of the autumn in Gotham. Rather it was a relief to the encompassing warmth that covered him.

Blinking, he tried to get his tired eyes to focus on anything in the bright space around him.

When he finally spotted two blurry forms, he found his vision started to clear. Slowly, the faces of two tall figures came into view. He couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Donna Troy and Roy Harper. The last time he'd seen Donna was when they and Kyle Rayner traveled the multiverse looking for Ray Palmer. Their parting had not been on the best terms, not solely his fault. As for Roy, it had been even longer.

The two of them were talking in hushed voices or maybe his ears were feeling as unfocused as his eyes. He wasn’t sure which.

Swallowing through his dry throat, he tried to speak. “So, you here to take me to Black Gate?” His voice came out garbled and horse. Still, it drew both of their gazes.

Donna immediately leaned down. “Jason?”

He slowly nodded, despite the tightness of his muscles. They ached horribly. He wanted to rub them so badly, but his arms were being uncooperative.

There was a brief flutter of a smile to her lips that made Jason's hard lurch. He remembered his childhood crush on her when he was Robin. He'd outgrown that, but sometimes, his heart forgot.

As her gaze swept over him, she asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Achy. More than a bit stiff.” His last description drew a tiny chuckle from the red head behind Donna. “Other than that. I’m alive.”

A new, very tight, and perhaps forced, smile curved her lips. “Good. That’s good.”

Jason’s mind started to work. “Am I… at Titan’s Tower?”

Roy shook his head, before leaning in closer. “No. The Watch Tower.”

“Oh,” Jason said simply. He coughed slightly. “Why?”

Donna leaned back, before giving Roy a worried glance. "You don't remember?"

Raising an eyebrow, Jason said questioningly, "Remember what?" He looked back and forth between them as they exchanged silent looks.

Then Roy spoke up. “Jason, do you remember anything from the last two days?”

Furrowing his brow, Jason tried to think. His brain was still too tired. Yet, there were brief flickers in his head of sensations, and he thought parts of memories. “Um. Kind of.” He coughed again, much harder this time. His whole body shook with each dry hack.

“Here let me get you some water,” Donna said, before she walked away from his bedside.

Roy moved closer with a very worried expression. “What do you remember?”

Jason couldn’t help his eyes darting left and right. He was kicking his memory to produce something. At first, he swore he could recall nothing since he returned to Gotham over three weeks ago. It was all just a huge blank. Then, slowly, the sensations turned into more vivid feelings and words. He remembered being both cold and warm. He remembered being afraid and angry. He remembered a calm voice that was filled with pain. He remembered –

“Dick.” The name tumbled suddenly from his lips as a sharp pain surged down the back of his neck. He grunted in agony as distorted images blared clear as photographs in his mind. “We were trapped together. Wayne Tower collapsed! Buried underneath! An explosion!” Suddenly, his breath started to hitch, and he could feel his heart racing. Panic was quickly taking hold.

Roy held Jason down on the bed and tried to calm him. “It’s okay. You’re not trapped any more. Either of you.”

Jason’s eyes were still wide, and his breath flew passed his chapped lips. “How long?”

“Red Robin lost radio contact with you late last night. Superman found you unconscious some ten hours ago. Your concussion overtook you,” Roy explained. “The League brought you here to recover. Other than bruises, a few cuts, and a dislocated right shoulder, you’re okay.” Suddenly, Roy seemed to struggle with swallowing. “You’ll be okay.”

That put an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Jason’s stomach. There was something dark and unspoken in those comforting words. Jason watched, scrutinizing the red head. The older man suddenly couldn’t meet Jason’s gaze. Instead, he was watching Donna approach the bedside. “What is it? What aren’t you…?”

Donna interrupted him. She reached towards him. “Here, Jason, have a drink of water.”

Jason raised his left arm at last. He grabbed the Amazonian’s arm, gripping it tightly as he glared. “First, answer my question! What’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me?!”

There was a steeliness to Donna’s gaze. She looked like rage and fire. With little trouble, she could have ripped her arm free from his grasp. However, behind the coldness, Jason saw a great sadness.

“It’s Dick, isn’t it?” Jason breathed. The next words resisted coming out. He had to swallow twice before he found the will to ask. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

“No,” Roy said quickly, placing his hand on top of the hand Jason was using to grip Donna's arm. “He’s alive.”

“Kind of,” Donna added, looking at Roy. “He’s unconscious. In a coma. Unlike you, Jason, he isn’t getting any better.”

“What?” Jason felt a new panic. “How… Why?

A small shrug raised Roy’s shoulders. “We aren’t sure. Doctor Midnight has some theories, but nothing concrete.  Could be due to the severe concussion he experienced in the explosion. Perhaps something bacterial got into one of his open wounds. Even possible, it’s a complication due to the extreme blood loss and shock that he underwent. Could even be a combination of any of them.”

“How… how bad?”

Donna lowered her gaze but did not remove Jason’s grasp from her arm. “The shrapnel of the building really did a number on him, Jason. He lost so much blood. They couldn’t even transport him until he got an onsite blood transfusion. If you hadn’t kept him talking for as long as you did…” Her voice broke.

“He’s alive,” Roy said, putting his other hand on the Amazonian’s shoulder. “That’s what is important. And he will get better…”

Donna turned an angry look at Roy. “We don’t know that!”

Roy returned her look. “Donna, now’s not the time!”

“I won’t lie to myself, and I certainly won’t lie to Jason,” she spat angrily. She turned her gaze to him. “They’re trying… stuff, but so far nothing’s working. He’s just… slipping away… a little more every hour.” There was a bitterness to her tone.

Suddenly, Roy pulled Donna out of Jason’s grasp and took her just out of Jason’s field of vision. He heard their hushed and angry voices. Straining his ears, he tried to hear. There were only snippets he picked up.

“Why would you say…?”

“…told the truth. Dick would want…”

“Dick wouldn’t want him worrying.”

“Jason doesn’t need…”

“… we need and what about…”

Jason’s heart rate sped up. He wanted to get up and yell at the pair. His body didn’t seem ready. All he could do was lie there, feeling a cold emptiness developing inside of him. Suddenly, he started to remember something.

His brow furrowed as he heard Dick’s voice in his head:

_‘Promise me, Jason. Please promise me you’ll look after them. Tim, Cass, and Damian. They need a big brother, someone to look out for them, be there for them, listen to them… even when they say they don’t want it. And Bruce and Alfred... Just... promise me.’_

Then he heard his own voice:

_‘If I say yes, will you just shut up about it.” He remembered Dick nodding and smiling. “Then, fine. Yes. Not like it will matter, we’ll be out of here in no time, and you and the rest of them can continue making my life miserable.”_

He remembered the smile marred by bruises but still beaming up at him.

As then, Jason’s heart ached with a foreboding pain.

 

_To be continued..._


	2. Should Have Said...

Jason stood frozen in the doorway of Dick's medical room. He was having a moment of déjà vu, just starring at Dick's still form. His complexion was pale and battered looking. The bruises around his eyes, neck, and arms only emphasized his fragile state. 

More than 48 hours ago, they had been trapped together under the remains of Wayne Tower in Gotham. He had been looking down on Dick then, too. Of course, Dick had been conscious and talkative then.

Now, Dick was still and quiet. Sure, there was the slow rising and falling of his chest, but the machines surrounding him were doing most of the work.

Taking a step closer, Jason saw the extent of the medical equipment attached to him. The one that made his stomach crawl were a series of blood stained tubes that protruded out from under Dick's chest wrapping and streamed into plastic container resting on a table on the other side of him. Every once and awhile, the tubes produced a wet squelching noise.

Jason's throat tightened. A subtle tremble started in his legs. Seeing Dick like this hurt more than he thought. He wanted to turn away and just go any place else but here.

Still, Jason had come here for a reason.

Beside Dick’s bed was a chair. Clearly, he wasn’t the first to come watch over Dick’s unconscious form. Someone else, probably the family, had been there just in case. Drawing in a breath, he tried to think positively.

Lowering himself into the chair, he found himself wiping something from his eyes. He drew in a long breath and tried to collect his still muddled thoughts. There were words he wanted to say.

A breath of a chuckle fell from his lips as he leaned forward. His hands clasped together, and he looked up to the ceiling. If he was honest with himself, there were a lot of words he’d always meant to say to Dick. Some were purely heat of the moment words that never needed to be uttered. Others were wishes of a far younger self. Childish things he’d meant to tell Dick. For the moment, he put those aside.

“I don’t know whether you can hear me,” Jason started. He drew in a long breath. “But…” He stopped and ran his fingers through his sweaty hair. 

Something between a laugh and a scoff blew passed his lips. “I thought this was going to be easier, but I suppose nothing with this... family or whatever you want to call it, has ever been easy. Definitely not words. But I’m worried…” He licked his lips. “…about what I said to you…” He swallowed a lump in his throat. “… when we were trapped. I can’t…” New tears prickled at the corners of his eyes. “You asked too much of me, and in the heat of the moment, I said yes.”

“You said yes to what?” The voice was instantly familiar and intrusive.

Jason shot to his feet and looked towards the open doorway. There in his Red Robin armor, sans his cowl and gauntlets, stood Tim. A coldness washed over Jason as his mouth grew dry. The younger man gave him a pointed look with his reddened eyes.

“I uhm…” Jason couldn’t muster a whole sentence. Of course, he was sure there were curses to throw at his replacement as Robin, but his brain seemed to have failed him.

Tim slowly approached. HIs gaze flickered from Jason to Dick, and then, back to Jason “What are you doing here, Jason? I thought…”

Jason turned to look back at Dick’s unconscious form, trying to ignore Tim. He didn’t know what he expected to see or do, but it was a brief break from meeting Tim’s cold gaze and constant questions. Yet, he knew he couldn’t just stare at Dick forever. 

Forcing a cough, he tried to regain some control. Then, his gaze shifted back towards Tim. The younger man now stood within punching distance. He both wanted to smirk and scold himself for that thought. But old habits were screaming at him to hit and run. Instead, he put his hands behind his back, sticking them into his back pockets. “Nothing.”

Tim didn’t look convinced. Jason could tell by the Bruce-esque grimace on his face.

Again, Jason cursed his fearful reactions. Tim had never been someone he felt he needed to fear. In fact, despite all that had transpired on their first few meetings, the younger man had been nothing but nice to him. Jason figured he owed him.

Coughing, Jason squeezed his eyes shut and blew out a quick reply. The words flew faster than his own brain could comprehend. He didn’t know why Tim should understand any better.

In fact, Tim blinked in a look of confusion. “Excuse me? What was that about a promise to Dick?”

Blowing out a breath, Jason fell back into the seat beside Dick’s bed. With Tim’s question, Jason just didn’t want to keep it all inside anymore. It hurt too much.

“I know right? It’s stupid. I don’t know why he asked me, made me promise.” Then, Jason’s gaze drifted back towards Dick’s unconscious form. “That’s not true, I can guess why, but he still shouldn’t have.” Sniffling slightly, he drew in another long breath. “It’s not like I get along with any of you. We hate each other’s guts, and…. and I’m no good at this family stuff. Not to mention listening. But he did. He asked me.”

Jason felt a hand on his shoulder and turned slowly towards it. “Maybe,” Tim started to say. He was drawing in a shaky sounding breath. His gaze was directed towards Dick. “Maybe he knew you’d need us as much…” The words died on his tongue as if he couldn’t speak. But then, his lips tightened. “As much as we would need you.”

“Still,” Jason said in a tighter sounding voice. “I’m no good at the big brother stuff.”

“I don’t know.” A small smile curved Tim’s lips. Jason thought it looked slightly forced. “You came, didn’t you? To sit with him.”

Jason’s brow furrowed. “So?”

HIs voice was still soft and shaky at best. “That’s a start. You’re… a work in progress, shall we say.”

Jason couldn’t help the snort of laughter. “Story of my life.”

 

_To be continued..._


	3. Any place else but here...

Jason felt out of place. He wanted to be nearly any where else but here - the Batcave. 

Reclined against the farthest wall from the Batcomputer platform, Jason could just make out two voices above. One was softer than the other and seemed in less control of his emotions. The other was rougher but steady. Still, Jason could tell the second was barely holding back his temper. 

He could remember how often he'd seen the temper flare both in the Batcave and on the streets of Gotham. He'd seen the Batman let loose on more than one thug who was left whimpering, only to stop short of ending the deserving scum. He even recalled the temper directed at him when he returned as Red Hood.

Lost in his thoughts, Jason was surprised by Alfred's voice. “Would you care for a drink, Master Jason?” He jumped slightly and turned to face Alfred. The older man was holding up a tray with a steam mug of what smelled like coffee. “While you wait for Master Timothy and Master Bruce to finish their… _discussion_.” The sarcastic tone on the last word was not missed by Jason.

"...not that simple!" loudly and very bluntly stated the booming voice of Batman.

"Why not?!" shouted Tim with an exasperated tone.

Sighing, Jason let a breath of a chuckle fall from his lips. Taking cup of coffee, Jason shook his head. “Sounds more like a lecture from here.”

“True,” agreed Alfred, lowering the empty tray to his side. A bemused smile curved his lips. “But whom is giving the lecture?”

Jason raised an eyebrow as he took a sip. “Two of the very, very stubborn men... so who knows.”

“Sadly, its not an argument based solely on logic, I'm afraid” Alfred said with a heavy sigh. “With what happened to Master Richard, I’m afraid the pain has cut deep, taking its toll on all of us.”

There was a brief pause. Jason noticed Alfred’s gaze dipped as if he was lost on thought.

Swallowing, Jason only slightly hesitated to ask Alfred the question still weighing on him. “Do you think I shouldn’t, Alfred?”

Slowly, Alfred’s gaze rose. He lifted an eyebrow in question.

“I mean, go through with what Dick asked me to do,” Jason inquired. “Maybe it would be better for everyone… if…”

“No, sir,” Alfred interrupted. His voice was tight but firm. "I know, Master Richard had a very good reason for asking you to to be there for the family, to come back despite everything.”

“Yeah, maybe, but…”

“It’s not easy, I know,” Alfred finished for him. “But nothing in life worth doing is easy. Sometimes, we have to swallow our fear and face what life has thrown at us. And I know for you, coming here…putting aside your feelings, history, and pain, will be unbelievably difficult, but I also know this is where you belong. And no matter what happens next, you will find this is the right course for you.

Jason squeezed his eyes shut, feeling a tightness in his chest. Then, he felt a hand rest his left shoulder. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see a warm smile on Alfred's face.

"It’s just going to take time, Master Jason... for you, for Master Bruce, for all of us.” Alfred gave the shoulder a gentle squeeze. 

In a tight voice, Jason said, "Thanks, Alfie."

Alfred nodded, before slowly lowering his hand. Then, he turned and headed back towards the elevator up to the Manor. Drawing in a long breath, Jason watched the older man.

Jason wasn’t sure how long he had at stared the retreating form. His mind had started to wander again to his doubts, to his past. All he knew was suddenly there was a imposing shadow cascading over him.

“Jason!” boomed the familiar, imposing voice of Batman.

Jason’s shoulders tensed. He clamped his teeth together to stop himself openly cursing. Still, he felt his free hand slip into his jacket pocket and lay atop of one of his pistols. Curling his fingers back, he forced himself to not grip the gun. Rather, he turned slowly around to see Batman standing atop of the highest raised platform.

“Tim has made his argument,” Batman said in a monotone, cold voice. “And despite, my reservations, his points are valid.”

Lifting his chin, he held his gaze steady. Despite his fear and doubt, he was not going to show it to Batman. With an even tone, he inquired, “Meaning?”

The eyes in the cowl narrowed. Batman’s lips pressed tightly together. Then, his nose flared. 

Seconds ticked by as Jason held his breath. When he thought he was on the verge of passing out, Batman spoke again. “Meaning you could be valuable ally, if not necessarily reliable.”

Jason snorted in amusement. Crossing his arms, he raised an eyebrow. “Gee. Thanks, B.”

“But as I said, I have reservations. To help elevate them, there must be adjustments made, and requirements to allow you to fulfill…. your promise to Nightwing”

Pushing away from the wall behind him, Jason couldn't help how his eyes widened. “So you do believe me?”

Batman’s only response to that was a grunt. Then, he turned and vanished from view, someplace on the raised platform.

In his place stepped a decowled Red Robin - Tim - appeared. There was a weak smile on his face. “Come up, Jason. We’ll talk specifics." He glanced briefly over his shoulder, releasing a long breath. "And don’t worry about Bruce, he promised to be civil.”

There was a grumble of frustration out of Jason’s line of sight. Still, he took that as affirmation.

Yes. He wished to be any place else. Under his breath, he said, "I sure hope this is worth it."

 

_To be continued..._

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the writing of another fanfic writer of AUs, so I thought I'd take a crack. Its an ongoing one, so I'll post as I finish the parts. And I'll be honest, I haven't decided on whether Dick Grayson dies or not in the end.


End file.
